title: Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Arabidopsis thaliana Mutant Unable to Develop Wilt Symptoms After Inoculation with a Virulent Strain of Ralstonia solanacearum.
abstract: ABSTRACT To characterize host genes required for a compatible interaction, we identified a novel recessive Arabidopsis thaliana mutant, nws1 (no wilt symptoms), that failed to develop wilt symptoms in response to virulent strains of the phytopathogenic bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum. The absence of wilting in nws1 plants was not correlated with a cell death phenotype or a constitutive expression of salicylic acid-, jasmonic acid- or ethylene-associated genes. In addition, this mutation, which conferred a symptomless phenotype in response to all the R. solanacearum strains tested, was highly specific to this pathogen, because nws1 responses to other plant pathogens, including oomycetes, nematodes, viruses, and other bacteria, were identical to those of wild-type Col-5 plants. Finally, the lack of disease development was shown to be different than RRS1-R-mediated resistance. The identification of mutants such as nws1, that are unable to develop disease, should lead to the isolation of target host factors required for pathogen growth or fitness, or of factors modified by the invading microorganism to avoid or inactivate plant defense mechanisms, and should bring a better understanding of bacterial wilt diseases.
authors.forename: Dong-Xin
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deslandes
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Revers
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Favery
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lecomte
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Jocelyne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olivier
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Marco